Toronto scraps museum project, plans to raze site instead

[Automation Gallery]

Heritage officials decry demolition of Malting complex

The City of Toronto has abandoned plans to build a $100-million history museum at the foot of Bathurst Street.

Mr. Vaughan said the site in his ward could be used for "anything," but he's not taking seriously the long-dormant Metronome proposal for a "music city" with education centre, offices and performance space that was first approved for the land in 1999.

The deal collapsed when the non-profit foundation behind it couldn't raise enough money in time. Many thought it was dead, but the foundation applied this month for a $20-million infrastructure stimulus grant from the federal government, although it has yet to approach the province and city for matching funds.

More.....http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ct-plans-to-raze-site-instead/article1271313/

 

[DavidJamesTO]

I thought Canada Malting was still in operation--whenever I've been by, they've had ships moored near the silos.

I was wondering what happened to this proposal. Yet another slow death, it appears.

 

[Archivist]

I've always thought Old City Hall was the ideal place for a Toronto Museum anyways (given the huge stained glass window on the theme of Toronto's history that greets those entering the building) and am happy to see that become the front runner in the "Toronto Museum" sweepstakes.

But I think the silos could be re-used creatively. My own pet project would be to align them with the AGO, and have an open competition amongst artists, the winners each obtaining a silo of their own for an artwork. But that takes some serious cash.

 

[wyliepoon]

I can certainly see the interior of the silos become Toronto's miniature version of the Tate Modern (an art gallery placed within a tall industrial space). It could become a trial version of the future Toronto Modern at Hearn Generating Station.

Alternatively, maybe the long-rumoured Toronto aquarium could go in the silos. I'm sure those things can hold a lot of water.

 

[adma]

I've always thought Old City Hall was the ideal place for a Toronto Museum anyways (given the huge stained glass window on the theme of Toronto's history that greets those entering the building) and am happy to see that become the front runner in the "Toronto Museum" sweepstakes.

My ideal location would have been the Bank of Montreal at Yonge + Front, had the Hockey HofF not gotten in there first. (Old City Hall just seems a little too overscaled for comfort.)

 

[Roy G Biv]

I love this building for no good reason.

 

[adma]

It's literally and figuratively overshadowed by the silos, but I love the administration building: one of Toronto's loveliest unsung works of 30s/40s Moderne...

 

[Automation Gallery]

My ideal location would have been the Bank of Montreal at Yonge + Front, had the Hockey HofF not gotten in there first. (Old City Hall just seems a little too overscaled for comfort.)

I agree, dont forget all the ghosts that come with the Old City Hall, it could be a challenge to evict them all.

 

[Automation Gallery]

The long-dormant Metronome proposal for a "music city" with education centre, offices and performance space that was first approved for the land in 1999. The deal collapsed when the non-profit foundation behind it couldn't raise enough money in time. Many thought it was dead, but the foundation applied this month for a $20-million infrastructure stimulus grant from the federal government, although it has yet to approach the province and city for matching funds.

I still think that this development would be the best for this location, hopefully this amazing plan can resurrect soon.

 

[DavidJamesTO]

My ideal location would have been the Bank of Montreal at Yonge + Front, had the Hockey HofF not gotten in there first. (Old City Hall just seems a little too overscaled for comfort.)

Which is certainly a change from its lifelong reputation for being too small!

 

[jn_12]

overscaled for comfort? Explain.

 

[adma]

Just too ponderously oversized for a populist museum function. Believe it or not, Old City Hall functions best the way it was designed: as a municipal courthouse. Except for the fact that security checks are now mandatory, I wish it would stay that way forever...

 

[jn_12]

How do we know that's how it functions best? You're presuming that's the case because that's pretty much all we have known it as. There are far too many examples of adaptive reuse in places that would seemingly make even less sense that I could use to refute your point. If anything, there isn't a building in this city that makes more sense for a museum than Old City Hall (perhaps maybe St Lawrence Hall might be the other). So much potential is in this site that it would be a shame to waste it on criminals.

 

[Skeezix]

How do we know that's how it functions best? You're presuming that's the case because that's pretty much all we have known it as. There are far too many examples of adaptive reuse in places that would seemingly make even less sense that I could use to refute your point. If anything, there isn't a building in this city that makes more sense for a museum than Old City Hall (perhaps maybe St Lawrence Hall might be the other). So much potential is in this site that it would be a shame to waste it on criminals.

I've always thought Old City Hall would be put to better use as City offices, given its proximity to the new City Hall, especially the type of City functions/offices that would attract members of the public. The old Council chamber could be used for Committee meetings, "town hall" meetings, public presentations, etc... Arguably, a much larger segment of the population would find itself using the building than is the case today. Even though the building was originally built as a city hall and court house, the security that accompanies today's courthouses is really inconsistent with the original public purpose of the building.

A museum would fit into such a building quite nicely.

 

[Andrew3D]

The centre court would make for a great patio as well.

Taken by:cfives5 at flickr.com